Herbicide-laced water sources poison 20 people

The Dien Bien Department of Health on Thursday said water quality samples at five families in Dien Bien District showed levels of bacteria like Coliform or E.Coli beyond accepted standards. Water samples analyzed by the Dien Bien Center for Disease Control (CDC) revealed that some had diquat dibromide, a substance with herbicidal qualities, at levels between 0.1-0.13 pg/L.

At certain areas where water pipes are installed, pipes can be seen running parallel with pipes that transport water by the Nam Khau Hu hydropower plant. The area is located only 1.5 m away from the pipes of the hydropower plant, and is within the radius where herbicides might have been sprayed.

Dead grasses can be seen running along the pipes of the hydropower plant, spanning 50 m. Authorities also found a herbicide package in the area, which has been collected and sealed away.

The Dien Bien health department has requested authorities to instruct people to use alternative water sources, while dealing with the environmental issues.

An initial investigation revealed that on August 17, workers of the Nam Co Hun hydropower plant have sprayed herbicides along the water-collecting pipe system of the Nam Khau Hu Lake. The water pipes of the five families, also at the lake, run parallel with the pipes of the hydropower plant and are within the proximity of the sprayed herbicides.